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Produced between 2005 and 2017, Aston Martin crafted many fine variants of the legendary Vantage. One of the very best, and one of our personal favourites is the glorious Vantage GT8.
As one of the most track-focused Aston Martin models available, the GT8 sold out straight away upon launch in 2016 and was limited to just 150 examples. It came as no surprise as the GT8 takes the very essence of Aston Martin and injects an array of perfectly chosen performance enhancements, which give this special car a truly bespoke driving experience.
A racing car with number plates? The GT8 looks like the Aston Martin GTE endurance racing car of the same era. Upon start-up, you are presented with one of the most intoxicatingly raucous exhaust notes of any car; this is as hardcore as a road-going Aston Martin gets.
Discover more about this very special Aston Martin below in more detail.
A Drivers' Dream
If you are a bona fide car enthusiast, the Aston Martin Vantage GT8 is sure to ignite a burning desire for you to get behind the wheel, thanks to the Aston Martin racing car resemblance. Of course, it may not be as graceful and elegant as your typical Aston Martin, but what track inspired car is? Instead, the GT8 looks alluringly serious and has a presence many cars simply cannot match. And that is before you even turn the key.
Coming at a time when technology has somewhat diluted the true driving experience of the latest sports cars, Aston Martin blended purist driving features, along with some old school touches to create a car that will pull on the heart strings. The GT8 is a car that will allure you into finding any excuse to just pick up the keys and fall in love with driving again.
And with 0 to 62mph happening in 4.4 seconds, the GT8 will certainly help fuel the love even more.
A Glorious Heart
State-of-the-art features have made motoring easier, faster, safer and smarter. The thing is, although technology can improve a car, it can also take away some of the magic. Aston Martin decided to sprinkle its own traditional witchcraft upon the Aston Martin Vantage GT8 by issuing an iconic naturally-aspirated V8 engine, with a capacity of 4.7-litres, for the heart of the GT8.
Producing 440bhp, the GT8 offers just 20bhp more than the standard V8 Vantage from the same era. But, power is nothing without control. Therefore, Aston Martin re-engineered the chassis encompassing 25 percent stiffer springs and dampers – giving a more focused drive.
The GT8 is also lighter than a standard Vantage, keeping up with the racing car resemblance thanks to the use of carbon fibre on the roof, door panels, sports seats and even the iconic Aston Martin wings badge. The GT8 sits on lightweight forged wheels too. Along with the carbon fibre, this saves around 80 to 100kg depending on specification choices.
Manual or Automatic
One of the standout features of the Aston Martin GT8 is the choice of transmission. In a world where most performance and supercars have the now seemingly predictable 'flappy paddle' automatic gearbox for ultrafast shifts, Aston Martin made sure you could also specify a classic manual gearbox in the GT8 also.
The reason this was a welcome choice is due to rarity of performance and supercars coming with a manual gearbox, and so the fact you could specify the GT8 with either a manual or automatic has made the car even more special.
With the mechanical feel of the GT8, the manual gearbox suits the car's character well, and is possibly the most sought after, but for those who want the full Aston Martin racing car experience, the automatic Sportshift III gearbox will be great if you intend to use your GT8 for track sessions.
Interior Excellence
Do not think for a second that this means the GT8 is uncomfortable and lacking convenience features though. You still get a gorgeous interior, made from Alcantara suede, complemented with DAB digital radio, 700W Dolby Prologic Premium Audio, auto headlights and wipers, dual zone climate control and reversing camera.
Super sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 2 Cup tyres ensure the performance can be enjoyed without worry too, although come winter you are going to want more grip, but then most GT8 owners will have their GT8 tucked up over the colder months.
The GT8 may well be a racing car for the road, but due to the luxury of Aston Martin, on a long journey it will be louder than most models, but it certainly is not unbearable and much more refined than most track-focused special edition cars for sure.
Quite simply, any time spent behind the wheel of a GT8 will feel like a special occasion, whether it is a European road trip, or a trip to get a pint of milk, because you will find any excuse to drive it.
A Collector's Dream
Upon launch, the Aston Martin GT8 had a retail price of £165,000. Due to the limited run of 150 examples, Aston Martin enthusiasts and car collectors simply had to have one, and so they sold out in no time at all.
However, we sometimes have GT8 examples come into our approved used inventory, and so getting your hands on one of these incredible cars is still possible.
With the car resembling a Aston Martin racing car, the multiple transmission options and the old school nature of this special Aston Martin, values of course have increased over the years.
With collectable cars, values tend to rise and fall but you can always be certain that a car like the Aston Martin GT8 will always be in demand, and rightly so.
Discover your own Aston Martin with Stratstone
Looking to purchase your own brand new or approved used Aston Martin. Contact your local Stratstone Aston Martin retailer today to enquire about any of our current inventory, or find out we can help in sourcing your very own used Aston Martin GT8.
Our team are happy to help in finding your perfect Aston Martin, and can help with any aftersales enquires too.
